Hearing Zhang Cuijuan’s shout, Feng Jianshe had no time for catching up with old acquaintances. He bolted toward his own kitchen, only to see the door lock split in two and lying on the concrete ground. The door stood wide open in two halves, with clear knife marks. There was no sign of his eldest daughter inside!
“Where did this girl go?” Feng Jianshe gasped in anger and muttered to himself, “She still had the guts to run?!”
Worried that the 1,500 yuan bride price would go to waste, Zhang Cuijuan slapped her thigh hard and urged, “Quick, go find her!”
The couple shouted loudly for Zhaodi while scanning around with their eyes. They figured the girl couldn’t have gone far and headed straight for the mountain path…
“Hey, Cheng Lang, Cheng Lang, have you seen my Zhaodi just now?” Feng Jianshe called out as he strode forward.
At that moment, the only thing on the mountain road was a Blue Truck rumbling along. Its massive wheels kicked up dust, mercilessly leaving the two with a face full of exhaust fumes.
Zhang Cuijuan put her hands on her hips and cursed, “Pah! This kid is just like before, cold-faced and ignoring everyone!”
“Forget it, don’t mention him. This guy doesn’t get involved in anything; don’t count on him. Quick, call people to help search!” Feng Jianshe made a decisive call. “Maybe that damn girl Zhaodi hooked up with some wild man for help. When I catch her, I’ll beat her to death!”
……
The shouts of Feng Jianshe and Zhang Cuijuan gradually faded with the wind until they disappeared completely.
Feng Man let out a long sigh of relief as she leaned against the spot behind the truck cab. She finally relaxed.
Luckily, the fiancé driving the truck ahead had no intention of meddling. He hadn’t even stopped at the couple’s shouts and had just floored the accelerator to hit the road.
Nine Mountains Village had uneven terrain, and driving in required skill and courage. Feng Man swayed and turned with the truck’s movements. Amid the endless jolts and shakes, she finally arrived in Chongling Town, feeling the smooth comfort of the asphalt road.
Her body felt like it was about to fall apart from the shaking. Now relaxed, Feng Man quietly lifted the tarp just enough to peek out with her eyes. The town’s streets seemed to be left behind, with colorful small shops bustling with customers and pedestrians hurrying along. They all turned into tiny dots and vanished.
Soon, the truck hit the national highway. The surrounding clamor faded, leaving only the howling wind battering the tarp with snapping sounds.
In a great mood, Feng Man lifted the tarp half a foot higher and looked out freely. Only vehicles traveled the national highway now, with no more crowded throngs. She was truly safe now, having escaped that big mountain.
Breathing in the fresh air, Feng Man patted the two bundles on her body and pondered her future amid the roaring wind.
Having finally left the mountain, she naturally had to head south. However, the original body’s Household Registry and ID Card had been handed over to Zhao Gang’s family by Feng Jianshe and his wife to directly get a Marriage Certificate. So she had no ID to prove her identity. She couldn’t buy train tickets or long-distance bus tickets, nor even stay in a small inn. On the other hand… she was poor.
The original body’s twelve yuan plus the ten yuan from Baozhu added up to just twenty-two yuan. It wasn’t enough for much and had to be saved for emergencies.
For now, sticking with this free truck ride was the best plan!
No need for ID to buy tickets, no fare to pay, and a free driver—perfect!
As for whether to proactively explain the situation to the man up front, Feng Man decided not to for the moment. First, she wasn’t sure of this fiancé’s attitude toward the Baby Betrothal from years ago. After all, she was now the runaway bride. He might think the childhood engagement didn’t count and that since she’d already set up the banquet, there was no need to stir things up—what would she gain?
Moreover, even if the fiancé was determined to wash his hands of it and not take her along, Feng Man planned to go farther. She’d get off once safe, at least ten thousand li away from Nine Mountains Village. She couldn’t let herself be easily spotted and dragged back.
Zhao Gang, that bully, was a dominant force in the town, practically like a triad. She had to escape far.
Feeling it out, Feng Man sensed that her fiancé drove steadily. Apart from the initial rough mountain terrain, there was hardly any bumping or jolting afterward. He was truly a good driver.
With her mind made up, Feng Man settled in. She pulled out some food from her clothes, ate one of the two cakes Baozhu had given her, and then sucked on two candies.
Dry rations were limited, and she didn’t know if there’d be chances to restock later. Exhausted after a tiring day, she wasn’t too hungry. After this simple “dinner,” she curled up and fell asleep.
For her first time sleeping in a truck compartment, it turned out to be a rare good night’s sleep. When she opened her eyes again, the sky on the horizon showed a faint pale glow, tearing open a gap in the dark blue clouds and mists, with golden light about to break through.
Judging by the dim light, Feng Man figured it was around four or five in the morning. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, stretched, and vigorously lifted the tarp to let half her body greet the morning air. She finally felt refreshed.
The man who’d driven through the night would probably rest in the morning. Feng Man ate half a cake for breakfast and prepared to play it by ear.
Road signs appeared occasionally on the national highway. Feng Man glimpsed one for Funan City, which Chongling Town belonged to. They were out of the city now, truly getting farther from Nine Mountains Village.
In the faint morning light, the truck exited the national highway and turned onto a small road into a nearby town.
It was market day in the early morning, with crowds everywhere. Roadside noodle stalls steamed with heat. White noodles swirled in porcelain bowls with spicy broth, garnished with green onions and mixed with fragrant meat sauce. Villagers heading to market held their bowls, standing, sitting, or squatting by the road, slurping noodles vigorously. The aroma seemed to deliberately waft toward Feng Man, tempting her.
The truck slowed to a stop. Feng Man heard the cab door close. Peeking through a small gap in the tarp, she saw the tall man order a bowl of noodles like a local, eating quickly and neatly without seeming crude.
Soon, the man headed into the town. His long legs took big strides, and he vanished in an instant.
People came and went around her. Feng Man stayed put. She still had food and drink to last. It was only the first morning; best not to act rashly. She should wait to go farther before finding a chance to come clean.
By now, Nine Mountains Village had probably given up the search. Zhao Gang would likely mobilize his forces in the town. She couldn’t take risks.
……
Feng Man’s guess was right.
When the Zhao and Feng families in Nine Mountains Village mentioned that the bride had been snatched away, the villagers eagerly helped, fearing it was bandits or traffickers.
But after searching the mountains all night to no avail, everyone figured she’d left the mountains. Zhao Gang trembled with rage, his face meat quivering. Back in town, he rallied his nightclub brothers to search everywhere.
He was convinced Feng Zhaodi was nearby. He didn’t know who had chopped the door and abducted her, but with such a frail woman, even if she made it out of Nine Mountains Village on foot, she’d at most reach the town. Either hiding in someone’s home or planning to take a train or bus. He immediately split his men into three teams: one to comb the streets, and the others to stake out the train and bus stations.
On the wedding day, the bride got snatched—Zhao Gang was so furious he nearly spat blood. He vowed to drag her back!
Chongling Town was thrown into chaos, with everyone avoiding the little thugs. Meanwhile, five hundred kilometers away in Green Mountain Town, the market was lively and festive, the buzz reaching Feng Man’s ears.
Cheng Lang returned after about ten minutes. Feng Man sat patiently in the truck, moistening her lips with orange juice and nibbling on popcorn candy when she felt the truck start to vibrate. She couldn’t help thinking to herself that this guy was made of iron.
As Feng Man pondered how this man had driven all night without needing sleep today, she felt the truck stop again.
By a fork in the national highway leading to the next town, the truck parked quietly on the roadside. The massive vehicle was silent now, with no sound of the door closing.
Feng Man figured the man was catching up on sleep in the cab and didn’t pay it much mind.
Birds chirped and insects buzzed around, with no cars or people passing. It was peaceful.
Recalling the face she’d glimpsed from afar in the kitchen yesterday, though at a distance, it was handsome and atmospheric.
Especially compared to Jiang Ping next door driving the Tractor, Cheng Lang driving the Blue Truck seemed even more handsome and stylish.
Feng Man mused that his build and looks wouldn’t lose out even in her previous life—in fact, better than most.
Feng Man from before transmigrating had a similar plight to the original body: parents divorced, remarried, had new kids, leaving her an unwanted baggage. She went through school, graduated, worked, saved up over the years to escape being a wage slave, planning to open a small diner back home for self-sufficiency. But just as the diner was renovated and about to open, she pulled an all-nighter, suddenly died, and transmigrated.
It was a pity her inherited culinary skills from her grandma’s generation had no place to shine. Feng Man was unwilling. With a good life right ahead, how could it end like this?
She wondered if the handsome guy dozing in the cab ahead could make up for it. If he was as the book described—handsome, tall, kind-hearted, upright, and reliable—maybe she could develop something with him.
After all, with beauty right there, why let others have it?
Feng Man racked her brain. The book seemed to mention the original fiancé’s flaw: upright and kind, but soft-hearted—easily swayed by a few sweet words…
Recalling Cheng Lang’s stern and sharp aura from yesterday, Feng Man was surprised. This face looked soft-hearted?
Was this the legendary contrast charm?
Trees were dense near the national highway. In late spring, branches were tinged with new green, layered leaves rustling in the breeze.
Feng Man figured the man up front had slept a bit. Then she heard the cab door open, someone jump down, and soon the door close again. Cheng Lang must have gotten back on.
The truck engine roared to life again. Feng Man waited to continue, but this time it was different.
The engine kept running, but the truck didn’t move, just vibrating in place…
Her heart gradually rose. Feng Man held back her curiosity, not lifting the tarp or making a move…
Until a cold, hard voice came: “Come down.”
Feng Man: “…!!!”
Unsure where she’d given herself away, Feng Man stayed still for a moment, confronting the man outside through the tarp. The air seemed to quieten.
After a moment, her slender fingers touched the tarp edge and slowly lifted it. Dazzling sunlight and the man’s stern face met her.
Cheng Lang stood tall by the truck, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, resting quietly against his pant leg with a light tap from his long fingers.
His narrow phoenix eyes carried an inescapable scrutinizing gaze, sharp and piercing.
Cheng Lang stared at the space where the tarp was lifted in the compartment. Amid the vast deep blue tarp, a patch of white appeared. He looked up and met a pair of almond eyes first.
The eye sockets were round, the corners slightly upturned, like rippling spring water, eyes brimming with charm.
Feng Man seemed to tear open a gap in the deep blue. Her fair cheeks peeked out, her pretty almond eyes gazing into the man’s deep eyes. Her cherry lips parted slightly, a smile hidden: “Comrade Cheng Lang, hello. I am your fiancée, Feng Man.”